Photoproduction of hydrogen from the waste water of a distillery by Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U. 001

Abstract Waste water from a distillery was used as the electron donor for photoproduction of hydrogen by Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U. 001. Hydrogen production by free cells was observed only at 5 and 10% waste water (diluted with tap water) yielding a maximum of 500 μl H 2 (in 144 h) at 10% concentration. Calcium alginate immobilization of cells enhanced hydrogen photoproduction two–three fold and hydrogen evolution was observed after varying lag periods at all the concentrations of waste water tested. Semicontinuous culturing of R. sphaeroides was demonstrated in a 3.6 l photobioreactor harvesting 1 l of culture every day amounting to 2 g dry wt. Hydrogen production was demonstrated for 12 days using immobilized cells with 10% waste water in a 3.6 l photobioreactor under light/dark cycles.